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Thursday, March 12, 2009

HOME

I have received 3 special emails today and each woman has mentioned to me about their home and how much it means to them. It has really got me to thinking about what my home means to me. Home can be anywhere. We have all heard that saying that "Home is where the heart is" and that is so true. It doesn't matter where you live or what you live in. It doesn't matter if you own or rent. It doesn't matter if you work inside or outside the home. Home is where the heart is. You make it whatever you want it to be. I don't have a job that brings a paycheck in and that is our choice. My husband loves for me to be at home. He loves to come home to a home cooked meal and a clean house. I do have my hands in a lot of things, but my favorite times are when I can be at home. Since I have been blogging I have learned so much from other women. I have been encouraged to start sewing again and many other things. I help my husband a lot doing things that he doesn't have the time to do. I help my children by keeping my grandchildren a lot. I am never bored. There is always something to do. I am a very hard working person but yet I don't get a paycheck. My paycheck comes in many different forms. My paycheck is Peace, a simple hug, spending time with my mother, a compliment, cuddling, rocking a baby, grandchildren, being in love, planting a garden, freezing & canning, fishing with my husband, a visit with my granny, burning trash, my "me" time, a phone call from my husband for no reason, sewing, crocheting, a clothesline, the love of a best friend, a warm fire, a grown child asking my advice & taking it, homemade soup on the stove, a smile, blogging friends, sisters, children, the smell of clean sheets, time, my husband opening doors for me, the little things, birds singing, rain, sunshine, kneeling at my bedside, my church, mowing the yard, doing nothing "together", sitting on my porch, taking a long hot bath,cleaning my house in my pajama's, weekends, a honeymoon when you have been married for 30 years, my family and so much more. Home is PEACE to me. Home is HOPE. Home is LOVE. A house is not a home. I have told my husband many times that it doesn't matter where we live, we can make it a home because we have each other. We are blessed. Home is what we make it. I have actually had people put me down because my job is at home. I have been told that I am sheltered & innocent. Maybe I am to a certain extent. I don't know. I hope so. I treasure every minute that I am home. It is a gift. Whether you work outside your home or not, you still have the gift just as I do. I guess that is where the part about "The Heart" comes in. HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS.

Proverbs 31:10-31 (My Favorite scripture)

10. Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.11. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.12. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.13. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.14. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.15. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.16. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.17. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.18. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.19. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.20. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.21. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.22. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.23. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.24. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.25. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.26. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.27. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.28. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.29. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.30. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.31. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

13 comments:

How true every word is! And you have made a beautiful peaceful home and I, as your Mom, know that it came with much hard work and concentration. I appreciate you so very much and admire your tenacity and strength and caring for everyone. I love you, my dear daughter!MOM

Don't let anyone put you down because you are at home. I was a stay at home for many years and would be now if we could financially make it work. If someone puts you down because of it, it is they who have an issue not you. Work at home is just as hard as work outside of the home. I guess I best put my soapbox away now, huh?

beautiful and thoughtful! i love your "paycheck" list. those things are priceless! i thank the Lord every day that my husband works so hard to allow me to be able to stay at home with our kids. it's not easy these days to live on one income, but we do it. i have nothing against working moms, i just believe that at home is where I'm called to be. thanks for encouraging us Stay-at-homers!

Very nice post! A paycheck doesn't come close to the rewards you are already getting. Sometimes I get down and tired of constantly doing and then the light goes on in my head and I remember all of the things my Mom did while she was alive and I can only pray that my children will have fond memories of all the things I do. God Bless your heart and your hands.

Beautifully written. I love being home and being a homemaker. I much prefer it to working outside the home for a paycheck which I did for many years. For me the balancing act was difficult, tiring, and when I did do both, my homemaking became more of a chore as I was often tired from the day job. I wouldn't go back to doing both now unless I had no choice. I think it is wonderful when a mom can stay home to care for her family as I believe children are the most precious part of life. Not all moms have the choice for the economic reasons and they have to do the best they can, and I understand...been there & done that. And, I just love BEING at home, it's my most favorite place in the world and I don't have a need to go anywhere at all to find happiness, for it's right here.

HI Valerie im new to your space and hey its absolutely great what you do........i think thats what it really amounts to what makes you happy.........If livingat home and tending to your family makes you happy great.........honestly a pay check might get you new clothes and fancy kitchen wear.....but hey i don think the kids ever remember their mothers fancy clothes or her fancy kitchen gadgets chances are theyll remember her warm hugs and her wet kisses and her wonderful food and more than anything her dependability..........its wonderful to come home to a mother.........

Such a wonderful and heartwarming post. I have never worked outside the home after my boys were born and yet I was always busy doing something or other and I loved being able to be home for them:-) A lot of people would ask me "aren't you bored?"...nope, never! As you say, a house is just a house but a home is what you make of it and it does indeed take a lot of hard work to make it so. xoxo

What a great post....and a beautiful house. I haven't worked at a secular job since last July (I work for the church but can plan my hours as I choose.I was always able to be at home while my children were young and am now enjoying being able to spend more time at home again and be around when my grandchildren come and visit. That scripture speaks so much to us as women and it is good to reflect on it. Thank you.

Our Mom also was the keeper of the home and we saw first hand the effort it took but more importantly, the love poured into each day. That is why I, too have wanted that for my children. There is no place like home! Thank you for great encouragement to do what we are called to do no matter what the sacrifice!

Granny's PERFECT Quilt

It is PERFECT. Perfectly PERFECT. Oh I don't mean perfect stitches, or perfect seams, or perfectly square. It is PERFECT for snuggling under on a rainy, dreary day. It is PERFECT for wrapping up a grandchild who is spending the night. It is PERFECT for making a house when draped over a chair & an end table. It is PERFECT for winding around and around a doll. It is PERFECT for covering up in the car when the air conditioning is on full blast. It is PERFECT for laying on the carpet and putting a baby down for his nap. God has touched Granny's heart and her hands, and her life. He has made her an artist. He has given her the gift of PERFECT quilts.

Written by Marlene B. about the quilt she bought from Granny. (Excerpt from Oct. 7, 2009 post on her blog)

Our Forever Farm

Our Little PEACE of Heaven

"Oh that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is place in her bosom to be nursed and trained! Could she have but one glimpse in to the future of that life as it reaches on into eternity; could she look into it's soul to see its possibilities; could she be made to understand her own personal responsibility for the training of this child, for the development of its life, and for its destiny,--she would see that in all God's world there is no other work so noble and so worthy of her best powers, and she would commit to no others hands the sacred and holy trust given to her." -JR Miller

Our Prayer

Lord, help us to PLAN, PREPARE, & PLANT what you would have us to. Help us to WEED out of our lives what should not be there. Lord, help us to GROW through you in our relationships, our attitudes, and our lives, always being in your will. Help us to always walk with you. Let us always be thankful and content. Amen